


We're not the same person (as we used to be)

by LedLightsForHope



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: :), Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood, Dadza, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Not Canon Compliant, Parent Sam | Awesamdude, Prison, Sams so cool i added him twice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-16 14:53:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29577783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LedLightsForHope/pseuds/LedLightsForHope
Summary: Dream wondered when it went wrong. No wait. He knew. When did it all go wrong? It went wrong when Dream realized it. When Dream refused to let go, so everyone else  let go. When Dream walked away and people screamed and yelled. Come back. When everyone started to forget. Dream used to hope it never went wrong. When it did, Dream pretended not to notice. He kept pretending, a fake world in a fake life in a fantasy world.orDream get's thrown in prison. He needs some help.
Relationships: Clay | Dream & TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), No Romantic Relationship(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 70





	We're not the same person (as we used to be)

**Author's Note:**

> let me know if theres any more triggers i should add. lots of love! stay safe!
> 
> wanted to point out somethings! schlatt is dead in this one. l'manberg was blown up by Wilbur once but not by dream and techno!! 
> 
> wilbur and schlatt are both dead :)

  
  
  
_ Day 1. _

  
  
  
  


_ I was thrown in here. All my friends, George, Sapnap, people I thought I loved put me in here. _

  
  
  
  
  


_ I hate them all. I am the best, the god of the server. I will get out. _

  
  
  
  


_ Day 2. _

  
  
  
  


_ Tommy visited me. He called me weak and gave me a stuffed animal because I was a 'child'  _

  
  
  
  


_ I hated it, I was not a child. I am the god here. I kept the stuffed animal.  _

  
  
  
  


_ Day 3. _

  
  
  
  


_ Tommy again, more stuffed animals. How does he have that much? _

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


It was 2 weeks in when Dream broke. 2 weeks in because Tommy only visited 5 times and after that Dream only saw Sam.

  
  
  
  


Sam, Fundy and Grian though, an elder from another smp, met up and talked. They talked and made an automatic food machine. Grian did not know the machine was for his very own cousin, Dream.

How could he? 

  
  
  


So Dream, saw no one. Only himself. No. Wait. No he didn't see himself. He saw the stuffed animals though. They talked to him.

  
  
  
  


They told him no one cared. He believed them. There were 16 stuffed animals, all different. He had named them as well!

  
  
  
  


**Lion** , Dream. The lion was bold, intelligent, worked better in groups. It was silent too. It could strike fast. It would strike fast. 

**Sloth** , George. Sleeping through everything, he's slow. He tries his best though. He's not the one in a prison after all.

**Dog** , Sapnap. Always loyal, happy to help. Bouncy, joyful. Strong bark, no bite. He never has a bite. 

**Leopard** , Sam. Sam, always quiet. Contained. Slinking through any event, being overlooked by his people. Leopards kill the prey, and hide them. Leopards could kill lions if they tried. Maybe. 

**Butterfly** , Bad. So many things you don't know, secretive. Can fly but not too high. Never too high. 

**Elephant,** Tommy. Causing ruckus, a heavy stepper, doesn't look at what he's really walking on. Lava. He always walks on lava.

**Bee,** Tubbo. Buzzy, fast. Always working, the queen. Queen bee, on top, soon to fall. 

**Fox,** Fundy. Careful, sneaky. Outbursts. Lonely. Never has any people. He’ll always be in tears. Shh. 

**Gecko,** Wilbur. Get attached easily. Lonely but never alone. Always, always trying to blend in. They never do. 

**Ram,** Schlatt. Aggressive. Doesn’t know when it’s too much or too little. Good luck I would tell him but he’s already gone, charging off the mountain. 

**Fish.** Eret. Swimming, swimming. Where is the fish home? They do not. The fish will only swim, until he finds friends that he didn’t hurt. The fish will swim forever. 

**Panda,** Niki. They think it’s all black and white but really pandas have so many other colors. Look into her eyes, tell the panda she’ll be ok. She won’t lose anyone else. Please don’t lie. 

**Monkey,** Quackity. Crazy. Funny. You don’t always have to be funny. Quiet down sometimes, breathe in and look around. Chaos is around you, happily you may be the cause.

**Rhino.** Technoblade. Please take off your armor and feel. Set down your horn and your battle trumpet. Breathe. Rhino’s don’t need to be strong all the time I promise. 

**Falcon.** Phil. Stop protecting everyone, shadowing in those broken wings of yours. You don’t need it. Not really. Go be a free falcon. Fly from the earthly burdens, that clamp your wings. 

**Kangaroo.** Ranboo. Bounce. Bounce. Bounce away. Go. GO. Go away. From all your problems. You run, you jump but you can’t hide. This body will keep you down to the Earth 

**Duck.** Puffy. Mom. Oh. I’m so so sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. I did. Mom? MOM?    
  
Dream sighed. He picked up his stuffed animals, and realized, all of them. All of these names were real people. He had hurt them all. 

All. 

All. 

All.

Dream finally broke, to the ticking of his clock and the stuffed animal's taunts. The love he never seemed to receive. He snapped. 

He tore the clock off the wall and snapped it in half. The glimmering gold of the pieces shown against the pale white of his skin. Red. Red. Smile. Dream was not a poet, not by any means. Yet he was a painter and he painted words into the skin of himself. Himself? 

Sam’s machine broke, food barely came anymore. Dream didn’t mind. 

The shards of the clock we’re coated with brown. Soon, Dream realized he was skinny, malnourished. No one came to his art show, of broken, bloody splattered dreams, on a canvas of himself. What was wrong with him? 

Tick. Tick. The clock still taunted him but the clock wasn’t there? Tick tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Sizzle. Sizzle. Sizzle… 

_ It was late and Dream sat at a round table. His feet were propped up and he glanced at the man across the table.  _

_ “You want, tnt?” _ _  
  
_

_ “Yes.” _ _  
  
_

_ “For what?” _

_ “To blow up Lm-Manberg.” _

_ “I see how much.” _

_ “Stacks?” _

_ Dream chuckled as he shook the man’s hand.  _

_ “Don’t you need something in return?” _

_ “Oh no Wilbur, chaos is enough.” _

_ Chaos and the endless circle of time from a broken boy.  _

__

Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. SCREAM. SCREAM. SCREAM. SCREAM. 

_ Dream watched as Wilbur was stabbed through the stomach by his own father.  _

_ Dream watched as Phil stood, hands shaking. Phil looked at Dream, they made eye contact and Dream felt sympathy for a second. A second in time in an endless clock. A clock that wound to the exact minute, hour, day, where everyone would seem to die. Side note, not physically.  _

Tick. Dream breathed a sigh. His heart felt heavy in his chest. He crawled towards his stuffed animals and hugged them. 

“I love you guys..”

“We love you to Dream.” Lies. 

People can think Tommy is broken. Or Wilbur was. No. It was always Dream with his shitty life and mask to hide his feelings. Always Dream. So as he closed his eyes and wished. He wished to die. He would not. 

Dream had in fact been in prison for 7 months. His mental state declined, his body declined. He should have been dead. Except for the fact that his body told him he couldn’t die. His body was taunting him, telling him he couldn’t die. Telling him. Telling him. 

Dream of course, he hated it. He knew it was his fault, that everything was. Constantly reminded himself what he had done, why he was here. Everything. His stuffed animals crawled with bugs, yet he kept them close. Some had stuffing falling out and the Gecko had a hole through it’s stomach.

Except of course. Dream wondered when it went wrong. No wait. He knew. When did it all go wrong? It went wrong when Dream realized it. When Dream refused to let go, so everyone else let go. When Dream walked away and people screamed and yelled. Come back. When everyone started to forget. Dream used to hope it never went wrong. When it did, Dream pretended not to notice. He kept pretending, a fake world in a fake life in a fantasy world. 

So Dream curled in on himself, paint _ (blood the voices whispered)  _ staining his arms. He smiled. Death. 

  
  


\--

The past 7 months had been brutal for Tommy. He had to live with the fact that Dream was now in prison. Which was good. Good. GOOD! Tommy didn’t have to deal with anything anymore, except for the underlying guilt. Underlying guilt maybe Dream could have changed.

Tommy was given a chance once. By a man and brothers. He was given a chance to be a kid. Dream never was and Tommy knew that. _ (Except once when a duck held out her hand and smiled at him. Dream was to be a kid but not really right?) _

  
  


Even though Dream was a war machine, a flightless bird, a wound that can’t go unseen. What happened to you? A loss, something, you lost, this can not go unheard. 

Tommy needed to save Dream. Tensions had increased between everyone. Trust? Unheard of unless you made a good friend before everything. Dream in the prison by his own best friends. Insanity with the server. 

  
  


Insanity. Tommy walked to the front gate of the server and it creaked open. Rust dotted the sides of the gate. Tommy shuddered at the sheer coldness of it. Had no one been taking care of this place since Sam left? 

Right. Sam left, he didn’t tell anyone. He packed his bags, and with a sigh left. Left with a note tied to the prison gate that Sapnap found. 

_ Hey guys. Sorry for leaving. Take care of the prison. Not that I care anymore. Shouldn’t have built the thing anyway. Stupid me. I’m always so stupid. So so SO stupid. -Sam.  _

He left, no one had been able to find him. Except someone had. Just not him. 

  
  


Not Sam. Not alive at least. 

So when the duck brought herself to go to the one place she knew Sam might go. The flower field with roses and tulips, the duck found the leopard. His giant wooden house, his flower garden and horse. For the first time, the duck and the leopard felt safe. 

The leopard talked about his problems, the duck listened. The leopard didn’t feel so alone. The duck felt happy. So maybe, insanity was real, but not here in the flower forest, where the duck silently hoped that could happen. The duck did find the leopard. The wooden house, the flower fields and the dead body. She buried him, a single sunflower, placed on his grave. Insanity was everywhere. It would always be real in this flower forest. The duck screamed because she didn’t understand how this could happen to someone she loved.

She thought she could help him. The duck never helps the leopard, when the leopard doesn’t say anything about needing help. The leopard is consumed by guilt and thoughts. Collapse. 

\--

Tommy creaked open the gate, and walked in. No one was here, the obsidian crumbling. Tommy had a keycard. It was in his ender chest. Someone gave it to him, on his front door one day. No note, just the glittering keycard. He knew in his heart who it was. Too broken to say it. Sam said he wouldn't give his keycard to anyone, anybody, unless he was dead. It was written in word who Sam wanted to give his key to, and the only person who knew was Puffy.

Puffy had been holed up for a while and Tommy knew what she had seen. The look in her eyes was the same as Tommy’s. When Tommy took Wilbur’s coat, threw it into the black pit that once was L’manberg and screamed. 

Tommy took a deep breath as he slid a keycard into the slot. It beeped. The room opened, and Tommy put in the code on the keypad. Five. Seven. Three. Nine. Five. 

The door slid open, and revealed a giant pit of lava. Tommy pulled down the lever, and the lava slowly drained. Some ash flew on Tommy, and he winced. Ash reminded him of exile, over a year ago. A year. Wow. Person who did it, right behind the- the lava. The lava that was now gone to reveal a cell. A giant cell with a man sitting inside, head against the wall. He didn’t look like he was breathing. 

Tommy anxiously waited as the bridge connected to the obsidian. He ran to Dream, and saw his chest was moving. Oh god his chest was moving. Tommy prayed to the God’s above. Then stopped. Hesitated. Why was he here? Why was he guilty? What was wrong with him? He backed away from Dream, almost falling into the lava. Dream killed him. Twice. Dream hurt him and exiled him. Dream manipulated him.

Yet this wasn’t Dream, not anymore. This was someone else, small and curled up. Blood stained the lime green hoodie, and his mask was shattered into pieces all around the room. Tommy creeped back to the strange creature and turned him over. It’s eyes were shut and it was breathing slowly. Its hair had dried blood in it, with messy split ends everywhere.    
  


Tommy took the things arm, and saw the cuts on it, the way it was made by the thing himself. Dream. Dream. Dream was nothing and everything to Tommy right now. 

  
  


How had he become this? 

  
  


Destroyed and broken are two very different things, with very same meanings. Almost. 

Dream was not broken. Dream was not destroyed. Dream was gone. Tommy intended to bring him back. 

  
Tommy heaved Dream up. Tommy, had become stronger, not the flimsy teen he once was. Dream had become lighter, skinnier, smaller. Tommy almost thought about the power over Dream. The power he had right now.

He shook away the thought. Tommy was not thinking over power. Tommy had no power over a man, who hadn’t seen anyone in months. Hadn’t eaten in months. Tommy had no power over this man, who had nothing. 

  
  


Tommy thought about power a lot in fact. He thought about power, how it consumed people. How power hungry had consumed Wilbur. 

How power of protection, of destroying had consumed Techno.

How power of hope and despair had consumed Phil. His father. 

His family. His home. 

Home. Home with them again would be heaven. Sitting with the warm home cooked meal. Now its polished floors and marble counters. Smile’s only because of my position. Why does power matter more than family? 

  
  


Tommy didn’t understand, he never would. 

Dream rustled around, leaning into Tommy’s touch. Tommy noted how Dream looked much younger now, and how the skin on his body was not seen without a cut. 

He wondered about the pain Dream had gone through. 

In the night, Tommy silently drifted back to his home. He slipped in, and shut the door, all while carrying Dream. 

Dream slept for three days, while Tommy took care of him, bandaged some of the worse cuts, and washed his hair. Dream did not look better. Only okay. 

On the fourth day, Dream’s eyes flew open, and he looked around. Warmth. 

  
  


\---

I opened my eyes and I felt safe, warm. I hadn’t ever felt warmth like this, not even in the beautiful lava. I looked around. My stuffed animals were gone. All of them. I wasn’t at home anymore and oh. Oh oh. Oh god where am I? Why aren’t I at home? Home? 

I tried to stand but I couldn’t. My voice wasn’t working, so I just shoved the blankets off and curled into a corner of the wide bed. I didn’t  _ deserve  _ this warmth. I curled into myself, and I realized my cuts were bandaged, my hair didn’t feel sticky anymore. What? 

Everyone hated me. So who had done this? That’s when I saw an old friend walk through the door. He looked at me, and froze. I made eye contact with him, but put my eyes down. He was going to kill me oh god. Oh oh oh gosh. He was going to kill me and I thought I wanted this but maybe not? He walked forward, sat on the edge of the bed. 

“Hey dude.” 

I didn’t say anything. Oh lord I was scared. 

“Dream, can you uh, hear me?” 

I nodded, head down. I didn’t really feel like I needed to look up at Tommy for him to understand I knew. I knew he was going to kill me, he got me out of my home, where I was alone, just to kill me. How would he do it? 

“Dr-Dream listen, i’m not going to hurt you ok. I pro-promise. I was just wondering if like, you could tell me what happened in the prison? Like why you were all bloody. Oooor can you not speak?”

I could speak, I talked to my stuffed animals. Stuffed animals. Sloth, dog. 

My best friends. Where are they? 

“Where are my stuffed animals?” I asked, whispering.

“You mean the ones I got you, the first week?”

“Yes.” I said, trying to express concern in my voice. It hurt to have feelings in my voice. 

“I- I didn’t think you cared.”

Tommy must think that he was the same.. That he is still the person he was 7 months ago when he was put in prison. Cocky, selfish, manipulative. He was not that person. Who was that person?

“They care.”

“Who?”

“The stuffed animals.”

“Oh.”

“B-But to answer you. Tommy. Wait no wait. Wait. I wait. So did you. Why am I here? I know you're going to kill me, so why didn’t you just do it why I was sleeping?”   
  


“I’m not going to kill you Dream.”

_ Liar. _ _  
_ _  
_ I shivered at the voices. I hated them. They always told me what I did was wrong. I knew. 

“I was in there for a reason. Please let me go back Tommy. No one cares about me. I didn’t do anything in that prison except what I deserved.” 

I meant it to sound something, like anything. Except it didn’t, no it just felt like plastic in my mouth. A fake feeling of pity. No one feels pity for the monster who haunts your dreams. 

“Wh- what do you think you deserve?”

“Pain.”

“Oh, Dream, Dream. Dream you don’t deserve that.”

I shook my head slightly, it hurt to move too much.

“I do.”

“The person you once we’re Dream, they’re gone. I can tell, I know. I look into your eyes, I see Dream, not the stupid one though. Not the one we put in the prison. You are different. You have changed.”

Dream looked down at his cut stained arms, wrapped in bandages with little cuts peeking out from them. 

Maybe he had changed.

  
  


_ He was worse. _

Maybe something could be better.

_ It can’t. _

It can.

_ Your stupid, no one likes you, they never will. _

Tommy smiled a toothy grin at Dream, and Dream glanced up at Tommy. Blue met green. Tommy reached out to Dream, and put the blanket over him. 

“Get some rest. Please?”

Dream closed his eyes. Tommy was going to kill him. Better in his sleep. Better to die in sleep.

  
  
  
  


\---

  
  


Tommy hummed, tapping his foot as he threw spices in soup. It was a tune of an old song. Mellohi. Ahh the discs. 

Tommy hated those things, but still loved them. He was then hanging in the guest room. The room Dream was in. Mellohi and Cat, hung in picture frames on the wall. Tommy smiled at the thought of Dream being so close to discs with no pow-. Stop. Rewind. Nope. 

Tommy smiled at the thought of Dream being safe. At his discs being safe. __

The soup he was making was a special recipe. It was taught to him by someone  _ (his father)  _ who he had not seen in awhile. 

He added carrots, celery and corn to a bowl. Cooked it until it felt tender and sprinkled salt on the vegetables. 

Then he combined bread crumbs, pepper, salt and chicken. He cracked an egg, and as he was about to crack a second one, a noise made him jump. A crash. 

Tommy ran to the guest bedroom, and saw Dream standing, legs shaking.

“You didn’t kill me?”   
  


“No, but I made soup.” Tommy said with a chuckle, attempting to lighten the mood. 

“Can-Can I help?” Dream asked, voice shaking. He was scared of Tommy.

“Sure.”

Tommy went over to Dream, careful not to touch him, and then had an idea. 

“Wait here.”

Tommy ran to the closet, and pulled out a cane. He used to use it when he broke his leg. 

“Here you go.”

He gave Dream the cane, and Dream smiled.

“Than-Thank you.” 

Progress. 

  
  


They walked to the kitchen, and Dream immediately panicked, collapsing on the floor. 

His breathing went harsh, and his head felt cloudy. 

“Dream what’s wrong?”

“Lava. Lava. Lava.”

Dream chanted, scrambling into the corner of the kitchen. 

Tommy realized Dream must hate lava, since that's all he saw. Or maybe he loved it. Tommy had no clue. 

Tommy turned off the stove and replaced the lava with fire from his flint.

Then he walked over to Dream and offered his hand. 

“Hey, Dream. Shh. It’ll be ok.”

Dream took it, and Tommy pulled him up. Hugged him.

Dream’s face was nuzzled into Tommy’s shoulder, and it was fine. Progress. 

Dream stirred the soup. He messed up, spilling, but that’s ok because well. It’s just ok. Everything will be ok.

\-----

The soup was amazing, it felt like home and Tommy loved it. While Dream and Tommy ate soup, not in silence. They didn’t eat in silence, no. They talked, and Dream told Tommy things. Like about George, Sapnap and Puffy. 

He told him how Sapnap was scared of the dark, so Dream put glow in the dark paint on his mask, so Sapnap knew Dream was always there to protect him.

Told him how George used to make fun of Dream, because of his mask. How they would run after each other, and at night watch the stars. George’s favorite star was one named Hope. Hope was not the brightest star, yet it was the first one you could see as the sun set. Hope. George used to carry a pendant of Dream. In that pendant, he had hope. 

Dream didn’t know that George still had the pendant, and would cry himself to sleep sometimes when he opened it. 

How Sapnap didn’t sleep too much.

How Puffy cried in her room, because her duckling and best friend had both left her. 

They ate the soup and Dream smiled. He smiled because this was the best thing he had ever eaten. Sure he ate cakes once. Steaks from countries he had never seen. Yet this felt like safety. That was the tastiest thing, savory and sweet. 

So while they ate the soup someone stood atop a mountain. 

  
  


“Quackity.”

“Sir.”

“Quackity, I called you here today. I have a plan. Dream has been in prison for 7 months, correct?”

“Correct.” 

“I propose we bring him out-”

“Are you insane sir? That man has caused all our problems, he’s crazy.”

“You didn’t let me finish. I say we bring him out, and kill him at the festival upcoming.”

“I don’t think that’s such a good idea sir.”

“He hurt Tommy. This is all for Tommy.”

“Not for your country?”

“Last time it was my country for Dream. Now it’s for Tommy.”

“You think he would want this?”

“Of course he would Quackity.”

“Ok sir. We’ll get him from the prison later today.”

“Thank you Quackity.”

“Have a nice night Tubbo.”

Tubbo skipped down the hill to Tommy’s house. When he got there, the lights were off. Maybe Tommy was sleeping. He didn’t bother to knock. Just walked away. Sidenote. Dream watched as Tubbo walked away. He watched as Tubbo walked away skipping. The president was not happy. Yet he skipped away humming. Tubbo had been in the rain for so long, he took sunshine for thunder. Pain for lighting. 

This is not progress. 

  
  


_ Dreaming. Dreaming of a flower field.  _

_ He’s running through the field, laughing. His laughter flows like a waterfall, and there’s two people chasing him. One of them jumps on top of him, and they collapse.  _

_ “SAPPY GET OFF YOU PRICK” _

_ “I GOT YOU I GOT YOU” Sapnap shouted.  _

_ Dream laughed, as George pushed Sapnap off.  _

_  
_ _ They stared at the sky and the clouds we’re white. White. White. Black. Rain. Dream started to talk.  _

_ “As stupid as it sounds, my story is better with you. I don’t want to go to a new chapter. I wanted to sit in this house and lay down. I never wanted to face him again.”  _

_ Page turn.  _

  
  
  
  


Dream woke up, and his legs hurt. Warmth. Safe. Tommy. 

Ok. 

Ok. You're ok.

Tommy was already up, visiting Tubbo.    
  


Dream grabbed the cane that laid on the couch and stood. He glanced at his arms and started to panic. Tommy. What if Tommy still killed him. What if?

No. No Tommy wouldn’t do that. 

Dream remembered what he had done to Tommy. The shaky memories of everything. The discs. The yelling. The wars.    
  


Dream collapsed to the ground, holding his head in hands. 

_ No one cares _ . 

The voice said. 

  
Dream believed it. 

\----

  
  


“Tommy”

“Tubbo”

They didn’t hug, but just nodded at each other. 

“So Tommy, I was wondering if you knew anything about Dream?”

“Wh-Why would I?” Tommy asked, stuttering. 

“He’s gone from the prison, is all. Maybe he left with Sam, no clue.”

Tommy shrugged as well. 

“I don’t know Tubs. Don’t know why I would want to anyhow. Life’s been good without him.”

  
  


Tommy lied. Tubbo had been corrupted by the government. They never spent time just the two together anymore. 

  
  


“I agree. He’s been in that prison and I want to bring him out and kill him! Onstage at the festival. His cries for mercy will be so fun.” 

Tommy’s eyes went large and he glanced at Quackity and Fundy. They stood next to Tubbo, their eyes large too. Power corrupts. Tommy just threw a glance at Tubbo before sighing. 

  
  


“I need to talk to Quackity. Is that ok?” 

Tubbo nodded, and pulled Fundy away. They walked to the white house, and Quackity tapped his foot. 

“This is bad Quackity.”

“I realized.”

“Government, power has really corrupted him.”   
  


“Ever since Dream’s been in the prison, he thinks he has control over everything.”

“Dream’s OUT of the prison now, we’ve been searching everywhere. Yet uh, when I went there, to look through the cell. I found this.”

He handed Tommy a worn leather book. The title read  _ How to bring them back.  _

Tommy looked, shellshocked. He flipped through the pages, carefully. 

“Quackity. What if we brought someone back?”

“Who?”

“Sam.”

“Sam’s not dead dude.” Quackity said, unsure of the words.

“He is. Maybe if we bring him back he can talk to Tubbo? They used to be good friends.”

“Maybe not Sam. If he’s even dead. What about- Schlatt?”

“Schlatt?”

“He’s Tubbo’s father. He’ll be able to stop him.” 

Tommy and Quackity held the silence for a second longer. Tommy then pushed the book into Quackity’s chest. 

“Do what you want Quackity, I'm not going to revive anyone. I just can’t.”

Tommy started to walk away, but Quackity caught up to him.

“Why not?” Quackity was confused at the change of tone. 

Tommy spun around. 

“Who would want to come back to this shitty upside world anyway Quackity? Wilbur and Schlatt are lucky.  **Lucky.”**

Tommy then walked away. 

Quackity would not, did not follow. 

  
  


Tommy then ran home, trying not to worry about his best friend. Or the way his best friend was ruling a broken country.  _ (That wasn’t real) _

As Tommy went in his door, wiping a tear from his face, two people watched. They stood at the top of a high tower, wings out, cape billowing. 

  
  


“You think he’ll be excited to see us?”

“What are you excited to see him?”

“A- a bit honestly.”

“Really Techno? Didn’t think you had it in you.”

“Wish I didn’t.”

\---

Techno was always an unlikely man. Rhino’s and falcons were never supposed to mix. A rhino, a falcon, a gecko and a elephant. A family?   
  


The rhino and falcon walked to the elephant's door. 

Knock. 

No answer.

“Knock again.” The falcon nudged. 

Knock. 

“Who is it?”

A voice called from the inside. 

“It- It’s your father.”

“Sam?”’

  
  


Phil’s eyes went large. He hadn’t been there for his son ever since he left with Techno. Yet he was still alive. Still Tommy’s father. Father? Sam? 

“No it’s Phil.”

“Phil.”

Tommy swung open the door. Techno took note of Tommy , how he was wearing armor and the two bowls that lay on the table. 

“What do you want?” Tommy asked.

“Well I just thought since I hadn’t seen you in awhile Tom’s. Maybe I could visit you? Me and Techno both missed you, it’s been awhile.”

Tommy laughed. Not a fake one, a good hearty laugh. 

“I didn’t miss you. You guys left when I needed you most.”

Techno never showed hurt. He did now. 

“Tommy, come on.You had to miss us a bit. I- I missed you I guess. Also, why do you have two bowls on you-”

Tommy slammed the door shut. 

“Don’t come back.”

_ HIDING SOMETHING _

_ GET HIM _

_ WHAT IS HE HIDING? _ _  
_ _ WHAT WHAT WHAT _

_ E _

_ E  _

_ TECHNOSAD _ _  
_ _ TECHNOSAD _

_ SADZA  _

_ E _

Techno silently noted the voices. He agreed as well. Of course Tommy was hiding something, but what? 

What?

  
  


\----

Dream and Tommy lay down, talking. 

“Dream?”

“whats up?”

“Why did you do it? Like the discs, exile, everything. Was there a motive? Did you just enjoy it?”

Dream’s eyes panicked a bit. Tommy wanted to know why he was evil shouldn’t he just know that’s who Dream was. He couldn't change right right right? Oh god. God god god. 

“Hey Dream it’s fine. It’s fine I promise. I just was wondering.”

“Its because I thought everything was to make me happy. I just wanted one big happy family you know? Everyone together. It backfired. Now there's a big happy family with me as the appetizer they already ate. It’s molding on the table. No one cares enough to throw it out so it stays.”

“You're not molding Dream.”

“I’m rotting then. My bones are rotting, and melting me whole. Fresh air fills me because I want to die. I want to die so maybe I can feel alive. Sometimes I don’t want to die though. I want to be alive. Some days though. My heart is bleeding out. Its dead and scratched on the floor with pencil marks showing how many times I've wanted to die.. It’s raw, beating slow. Rotting like the bones in my body, and my shallow, happy soul.”

“Dream. Dream it’ll be ok.”

“I wish I could believe you. I wish i could trust you.”

“D-Dream. I care about you.” Tommy stuttered with the words. One year ago, saying that sentence was a lie.

Today, that was true. 

They sat in silence until Tommy heard the back door swing open. He turned around, and a wide eyed Sapnap was standing right in front of the door. Hand still on the handle, mouth open. Eyes staring right at Dream, who laid on the couch asleep next to Tommy. 

“Tommy.” Sapnap hissed. “Care to explain.”

Tommy got up. He was much taller than Sapnap now. 

“Why are you in my house Sapnap?”

“I just needed to ask something. Didn’t expect to see  **him here** . Why is he asleep on your couch with bandages and a giant scar across his face? Why is he even out of the prison?”

“I went to see him. I felt bad, ok? I wanted to know how he was doing I guess. H-he had blood all over him. He’s scared I'll kill him. I just brought him home and cleaned him up. He’s changed. A lot.” 

Sapnap threw his boots off and walked up to Dream. His eyes had care in them. Like he was looking at a puppy cowering in the corner. Or an old friend. 

“Hey buddy.” He whispered. Dream’s eyes flew open. “Hey T- sappy?”

“Yeah Dream it’s me.”

Dream’s heart skipped a beat. Gosh gosh goodness he was going to put him back in the prison in the prison. Oh my gosh he was going back to prison.

  
“Please don’t take me back Sappy.”

_ (Tommy thought in his head how better that was that Dream liked staying with Tommy versus the prison. Not progress though because this? This was not good.) _

“Oh-oh Dream I won’t take you back.”

“Sappy please don’t hurt me. Please?”

Sapnap threw a glance back at Tommy.

Tommy had all but taken care of Dream for seven days. Three of which Dream had been awake for. Three days which had been so good. 

Apart from the part where his old dad and brother came. He tried to block it out of his mind. Not like anyone cared about him anyway. Besides he was big and strong now. He wouldn’t crack like Wilbur. 

_ (Although the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Wilbur is not a tree, wilbur is an apple. Tommy is the core of it.) _

Dream murmured things about hurting, pain, the prison. Sapnap tried to calm him down, and soon Dream did. His breathing slowed into a steady one. Breath.

“Sappy I missed you so much.”

“Who are you?”

“Dream?”

“You never call me Sappy anymore.”

“Oh sorry should I stop?”

“No, it’s ok.” 

In Sapnap’s mind, Dream should have been punished. Yet not this broken boy. This broken boy who lay in front of him. God knows what would happen when he saw other people. 

  
  


As the sky dimmed, and dark creeped into the house, silence creeped in too.

“Tommy?” Dream asked quietly. His voice wasn’t the best.

“What’s up?”

“Can you light a lantern, Sappy doesn’t like the dark.”

“Sure.” Tommy lit a lantern and placed it between the two of them. Soon, Sapnap and Dream fell asleep. 

Tommy lay a blanket over the two of them. The lantern soon flickered out, yet the faint glow of the sun was already rising then. 

If Tommy thought this was hard, he wasn’t ready for what was to come. Dream hadn’t even gone outside his house. 

What would happen when he saw L’manberg? When others saw him. Sure Sapnap was forgiving, loved Dream. 

  
  


God knows that Tubbo doesn’t forgive him. Tommy shuddered at the pure thought of Tubbo killing Dream on stage. In front of all those people? Insanity. 

\-----

_ Two Weeks Later.  _

  
  
  


Techno still hadn’t figured out what Tommy was up to. I mean he tried, he really did.

Tommy was smart. Smarter than he had been. 

He farmed his own food, he didn’t have to go out anywhere. When he did it was always a meeting, close to his house. Sapnap had been coming over a lot though.

Like a lot.

Sapnap and Tommy had been friends years ago. Techno knew that. The first time with the discs and all that. Wow. 

So long ago.

How people change.

_ (silent words left of how Techno changed. Or how he wanted others to change.)  _

  
  


\---

Dream had been walking more on his own. More happy. He wasn’t as scared of things now. Panic attacks didn’t come as much. The scars we’re healing. Both inside and outside.

Sapnap came to visit more and more. Laughs were shared between the three and at night when Sapnap left, Dream would still be smiling.

Progress.

Soon Dream returned to somewhat of his old self. He could talk easier now, more emotion. Yet not any of the bad parts. It was a rainy day and Dream wanted to go outside. Oh lord how he wanted to.

“Tommy?”

“Yeah?”

“Can I go out in the rain please?”

“What if someone sees you? Tubbo’s enhanced security around the whole smp. It’s dangerous.” 

Tommy half remembered when Dream was manipulative. With his kind words and  _ “Tommy only I care”  _

“Ok, sorry for asking.”

“Hey, it’s alright.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah. Yeah I am sure.”

That was the first time Tommy knew Dream changed. Changed for good? He hoped. 

\---   
Techno snuck up to the window, feet quiet. He peaked in through it, the curtains open.

The house looked normal except for one thing. The way Dream was sitting, playing cards with Tommy at the kitchen table. The way Techno gasped and ran from the window.

“PHIL!”

“What’s up?”

“Dre-Dream’s with Tommy?”

“Oh my god. We need to go save him.”

“No, that's the thing. They're playing cards.” 

“You're joking right?”

“Not at all.” 

Phil’s wing’s opened up, his feathers fluffing. 

“I’m going over there.”

And he did. 

He flew with his wings open, over L’manberg and the smp. To his son's house. 

He kicked open the door, it was unlocked anyhow. Tommy sat with Dream, a smile slowly disappearing from his face.

He really had to start locking the door more.

“Phil?”

“Tommy.”

“Phil get out.”

“Tommy, why is Dream in your house?”

Dream was staring at Phil as well. He looked afraid, whimpering behind Tommy quietly. 

“No reason.”

“Why is he cowering behind you like he’s scared?”

From what Phil remembered Dream was never scared.  _ (From what Phil remembered. Dream used to scream in the middle of the night. Puffy went to calm him down. It worked.) _

“He doesn’t like new people.”

“I’m not new. He knew me before. He tri-”

“Not this Dream. This Dream is different from the one you knew.” 

Tommy put his arm around Dream’s shoulder. “He’s changed.”

\------

Tommy had seen Techno sneaking around. Ever since he came to the door that one day. Ever since Tommy made the fatal mistake of asking dad. Asking dad when he knew he would never have one.

Sam died, Phil was dead to him. 

Now Phil was in the house, his wings outstretched. His sword swung heavy at his side. 

“Has he really changed Tommy? What if he’s just acting, manipulating you. He hurt so many people, including you. My son. I can’t let that happen again.”

“HE HAS CHANGED.” Tommy yelled, voice with so much emotion. Tommy was at his breaking point. 

He pulled Dream closer to him. Dream looked frightened, his eyes glancing between the two. 

Then he just put his hand out. “My name’s Dream.”

“I know.” Phil said.

“No, no you didn’t. You knew the other Dream.”

“Where is this other Dream?”

“He died in that cell a long time ago Phil.”

Phil just nodded, looking at the man who caused pain. He did not see a man. He saw a boy. Two boys, looking at him. They both were new people to him. Tommy, his son, was dead with Wilbur. Dream died in the cell. 

Phil realized he didn’t know anyone. Not even himself.

Phil spun around, wings touching the ceiling as he left. 

What he didn’t notice was Tommy sobbing. Dream making tea for the both of them. A silent comfort. 

\----

Tubbo had forced Fundy to make a compass that pointed to Sam. 

Then, Tubbo and Fundy set out to find him. Tommy decided it was time. Tommy, Sapnap and Dream walked out of the house. Dream wasn’t as tall as Tommy, not at all. He was wearing green, and didn’t have his mask. Everyone knew what Dream looked like without a mask. 

That was ok. 

They decided to head to Niki’s bakery. 

Walking up the path, sniffing the cakes and bread that came from the bakery.

“This is going to be so good.” Dream sighed.

“Agreed.” Tommy and Sapnap said at the same time. 

Laughter in the great blue world. 

\----

Niki and Puffy hurried around, flour splashed on their faces. 

“Puffy, can you frost this? Special order!”

“Sure!”

Puffy worked on the frosting until she heard the bell jingle. 

She glanced up and saw Tommy, Sapnap. Tommy, Sapnap and who? 

She walked out of the kitchen, Niki trailing behind.

“HELLO!”

“PUFFY, NIKI.” Tommy yelled. 

“Who’s that with you?” Niki asked, her strawberry dress stained with flour. 

Sapnap stepped in front of the person, whose head was down. 

Puffy stepped out behind the glass, which held pastries galore. 

She gestured for Sapnap to move. He did. He moved and Puffy squatted down so she could be eye level with the kid. Green met brown. Shock.

“Dream?”

“DREAM?” Niki screamed behind Puffy.

Time seemed to slow and then Dream collapsed. He collapsed onto the cold ground. Niki walked up to him, pulling Dream up.

“Why. Are. You. In. My. Bakery.”

“So-Sorry. I’m really sorry I can go. I can-”

Tommy jumped in. “Leave him alone Niki, we just came in for a cake.”

“Why are you defending this monster?”

Dream cringed. 

“He’s not a monster Niki.”

No one noticed Puffy staring at Dream. Her duckling. Her son looked scared. 

He was still her son. Forever.  _ (forever?) _

  
  


\---

Puffy watched as Dream was dragged to the prison. She remembered the conversation he had with him, days ago.

“Duckling? What happened to you?”

Dreams spun around, swords out. His mask was chipped, blood covered his clothing. 

“I am not your duckling. I never will be. You are not my mother. FUCK OFF PUFFY.” 

Puffy’s eyes flashed with fear. Her son? Her precious duckling. What happened to him? 

“Du-Dream. Dream what happened.”

Dream put the tip of his sword to Puffy’s neck. 

“I am not your duckling. I said it already. STOP TRYING JUST GO AWAY.” 

Puffy pushed Dream away, tears streaming down her face. No one saw behind Dream’s mask, he was crying too. A single tear fell down. Strange creatures that grow in the hollows of a heart contain him. Holding him. Dream wanted to be fired. Yet everything around him reduced him to ash. Five days later, he was dragged to prison. Puffy stood and watched. 

\-----

The cake was strawberry with vanilla frosting. Niki bitterly handed it over, shooting a glare at Dream.

She kept doing this until Tommy walked up to her. 

“Niki.”

“Tommy why di-”

“Just shut up and listen Niki.” 

Tommy talked. He told her everything. About how Dream had been there for months seeing no one. How he had cut himself. How he thought Tommy was going to kill him. How he was punished. 

Niki listended. She nodded, and a tear silently fell down her cheek. She hated Dream. Not this person. 

So be it Dream had made two allies. Yet the same day was not over and someone sat on the horizon. They watched the sunset, and strummed a guitar. 

  
  


Slow and steady breathes. They sat and watched in the shadows. No one could see them. Watching as Niki’s cafe lights turned off. Watching as five people walked out. Talking and murmuring they studied each person. Quietly. 

One of them was  **fire** . Burning, impulsive. Fire, burning and bright. Every fire can be put out.

One of them was  **earth.** Grounded. She didn’t like to show emotion but sometimes it had to happen. All earth can be chipped away at until broken down and shattered into dusty pieces. 

One of them was  **air.** They were everywhere. Even when you seemed to be rid of it. Maybe they were still there? He was air because he was brave sometimes. Jumpy. Even air can be contained though. Transparent and dissipated. So hard to see. So hard wanting to be seen.

One of them was  **water.** Felt everything, encased. She was never comfortable, wanting to move. She rushed everywhere, breathing quickly. Water showed so many emotions, the real ones were hidden sometimes. Yet water can be drank and gone in an instant. Forgotten without a second thought. 

The last of them was  **space.** Everywhere. The most powerful. Can overcome any of them. Yet they won’t. They want what’s best for the tiny little galaxy they hold in the gentle warmth of there hands. 

  
  


Dream was space. Puffy was water. Tommy was air. Sapnap was fire. Niki was earth. All of them together created a universe, a galaxy. Eret slowly walked down the hill. Midway down, he met Niki’s eyes. She nodded at them. They nodded back. No words. Both of them found to much beauty in the silence between bitter secrets of space. 

\-----

The next day Tubbo was home. Tubbo and Fundy. Tubbo, excited to see Tommy. He burst in the home. He burst in and to his surprise, Sapnap was there. So was Niki. Puffy and Eret. 

Tommy and..and Dream. Dream sitting, head thrown back in laughter. For a spilt second. Time might have stopped. Yet it kept painfully going. 

Tubbo walked in, netherite armor still shining. 

No sound echoed throughout the house. 

He put his sword up to Dream’s neck. “Why are you here? Why is everyone here with this coward?”

Dream shivered at the name

Progress was erased. 

  
  


No one moved. Except Tubbo. 

Tommy screamed. Sapnap dashed forward. Eret stood, mouth open. Niki and Puffy put a hand out. Yet it was to late. The sword cut into a broken boy. Laid to rest. 

  
  
  


\---

“Hey kid.”

“Schlatt? Where am I?”

“Oh. You’re dead.”

“WHAT?”

“Yeah Tubbo stabbed you.”

“So, is Sam here?”

“Mhm, Wilbur to.”

They came to Dream’s side. 4 ghosts watched a world split apart. They thought of the impact they had on it. One built. ( _ Sam)  _ One destroyed.  _ (Wilbur)  _ One mended.  _ (Dream.)  _ One fell.  _ (Schlatt.) _

They looked down at the place they had once loved. They realized they didn’t love it anymore. 

  
  


“Anyone up for a game of cards?”

“Sure.”

Breath.

**_(Game Over.)_ **

\---- 

It had been years since Dream’s death in his cabin. He had moved on from everything. Ran from his problems _. (he didn’t hide, just ran.)  _ Tommy missed them all. His brother. His friend. His father. Even that stupid evil dicator.

Sapnap and him met up frequently, along with George. He grew up and apart though. Became quieter. Contained. 

Sometimes on quiet nights Tommy would sob. Sometimes on quiet nights, a faint song would be played in the winds. He could hear it playing by his own brother. On quiet nights he would see a firework shoot out from the skyline. Distantly. 

On quiet nights he would hear a booming voice telling him it would be ok. 

On quiet nights a hug would be wrapped around him. 

On that quiet night, on one quiet night. Soon maybe. Tommy would embrace the hug. The song. Not yet though. He had things to do. Work to plan.  _ (A quick glance at a picture frame. Cracked. Took with his best friend.)  _ People to talk with.

  
  


On that note, Tommy sighed. He slipped off his warm cloak and walked out the door. The great big world waited for him. 

Tommy was ready. Sword by his side. His game was not over.

Tommy’s story had not even begun. The sun began to rise. As did Tommyinnit. The once child soldier. Now just a child with a war to ride on and a hand to help him up. 

**_See you soon, Tommyinnit._ **

**Author's Note:**

> wear a mask, love you all feel free to leave a comment if wanted!


End file.
